


Righteous Men

by IsisKitsune



Series: The Devil's in the details [3]
Category: Daredevil (TV), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Heavy Angst, Human Disaster Matt Murdock, Human Disaster Peter Parker, Identity Reveal, Minor Foggy Nelson/Marci Stahl, Minor Injuries, Past Matt Murdock/Elektra Natchios, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is Matt Murdock's Biological Child, Protective Matt Murdock, Protective May Parker (Spider-Man), Reveal, post ben's death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:33:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23692423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsisKitsune/pseuds/IsisKitsune
Summary: “May, May, May,” Matt shuffled, frowning when it took him a few times to even get a grip on his phone.“Hey, May, what's up? It's kinda late for you to call.”“Matt,” Matt froze, gulping and threatening to hurl at the tone, “We lost Ben.”“Is, is Peter okay, are you okay? Is he with you?”Matt could hear the shifting, hair ruffling over the speaker, “He's here, with me. He, he was there, Matt."
Relationships: Matt Murdock & Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Matt Murdock & Peter Parker
Series: The Devil's in the details [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1704817
Comments: 5
Kudos: 412





	Righteous Men

Matt was chuckling, head rested on Foggy's shoulder, shaking it when he heard another drink poured, “No, no more of that. I think I've had enough. 'Spose to have Peter tomorrow, can't be hung over when I've got him.”

Foggy snorted, “Mister, '3 sheets to the wind and tracking people down' in the middle of the night...”

Matt shook his head, it actually took him a full minute to realize it was Josie's grumpy form on the other side of the bar, “I'm done, Josie, thanks. And do us all a favor, and take the bottle from Foggy,” he could have sworn he felt her smirking when the bottle was pulled off the counter and dropped into the well. “Come on, Foggy, some of us have responsibility.”

“Boooooo adulthood.”

“Amen, come on, buddy. Need to get you away from here before you make a bad mistake.”

Foggy blinked, “What do you mean?”

“Marci...”

“Right, Marci,” Foggy sighed and shuffled after him, “Right.”

Matt smirked, “How fucked did you realize you were?”

“I've got 3 days left, Murdock, it's not that big of a 'fucked' moment. Still got time.”

“Mhm, let's head home, save the rest of that paycheck for something expensive and over the top for your shark.”

“May, May, May,” Matt shuffled, frowning when it took him a few times to even get a grip on his phone.

“Hey, May, what's up? It's kinda late for you to call.”

“Matt,” Matt froze, gulping and threatening to hurl at the tone, “We lost Ben.”

“Is, is Peter okay, are you okay? Is he with you?”

Matt could hear the shifting, hair ruffling over the speaker, “He's here, with me. He, he was there, Matt. It was, a carjacking and, Peter was- in the bodega and got back to- Matt, I think it's time.”

Matt wanted to hurl, he honestly wanted to hurl, “I'm on my way. You at the house or-”

“We're at the house, he, died at the scene. I, Peter got back home on his own. He's, in his room. I, I can hear his music playing when I walk by his door. He's, not in a good place from the sound of it.”

Foggy tapped his shoulder, “Cab, Matt. Come on, buddy, let's go.”

“We're on our way, May. It's, it's gonna be okay.”

“Remind me of that in the morning,” May's voice wavered a bit.

“Every day that I need to, I will, until you no longer need it.”

May gave a sobbing chuckle, “Matt, I am serious about it being time. Ben, he wrote a letter, like Mary did, in case...”

Matt felt his eyes starting to tear up, “That's why Ben wanted to see the letter.”

“Yeah, he, wanted a copy of it. To offer an explanation.”

Matt was at the point of wanting to tell the driver to pull over, his stomach was not having fun. “You two are the deciding party, May, that was our deal.”

“I'm going to go check on Peter, the door should be open when you get here.”

“We've still got a bit of a drive, but we'll be there soon.” Matt frowned when the phone disconnected, frowning when he felt Foggy grab his shoulder, “She, wants to tell Peter. What if-”

“That kid loves you, buddy. He just, he's going to know just how much you love him now.”

Matt snorted, “Enough to lie to him for the better part of a decade.”

Foggy nudged him when the car stopped before stepping out, “Come on buddy.”

Matt frowned, “He, is definitely in more of a dark mood. I can hear his music from here.”

“That's to be expected, buddy,” Foggy reached out to knock on the door while Matt made sure the fair was paid. “I got it on the way back.”

“Yeah, okay,” Matt was feeling like a death row inmate when the door opened. He just tried to give a reassuring smile as he reached out, it didn't stick as May hugged him. “How's Peter?”

May snorted hard as she tried to give a laugh, it wasn't anywhere near reassuring and all sorts of worrying, “He, blames himself. He, was walking and, him and Ben had a fight. He, just, wanted to cool his head and, you know Ben, he- he'd want to keep talking, to figure it out, or fix it. But, Ben went out looking for him, and when it got so late, he took the car, to look farther from home. He, thought he saw him, he got out to talk to him, it was just, his timing was so wrong, and it wasn't Peter he'd spotted. It was some guy that had just robbed the bodega and was looking for an escape.”

Matt held her tight before helping her settle on the couch, “I'm, going to go up and see if he wants to talk.”

May was nodding, “Yeah, okay.”

“Come here,” Foggy waved a hand over as he settled close by to give her someone to hold onto and a calming presence.

Matt was tilting his head at the door, something was wrong. Not the bass focused music but the lack of shifting or heat or anything to go along with the steady heart beat he heard from the other side of it. “Peter, it's Matt.” He expected a spike in heart rate, the music to turn down, a grief stricken 'go away' or the door swinging open to be hugged. When he got none of them he jiggled the handle and frowned when it was locked. “Peter, open up, buddy. I, could really use a hug from you right now.” The heart rate didn't waver, the music did shift, but to a new song. The short clipped quiet between them revealing the truth behind the door, “Foggy!”

“What,” was called as Foggy bolted up the stairs.

“He's gone.”

“What? Hey, wait-” Foggy jumped in front of him, “Do not go bashing your way in there without May's permission.”

“May, do you have a key? Peter locked his door and I think something's up, he's not answering.”

“No, he, has a bolt on his side of the door. What's wrong?”

“Just, can I get into his room? He's not responding.”

May was panicked, nodding, “Yes, I'll, get it fixed. If you think something's wrong.”

Foggy grabbed May to pull her out of the way as Matt took a running kick at the door, “You okay?”

Matt caught the door before it could slam into him as he got his footing, glaring toward the phone sitting on the pillow. “He left the music on loop, loud, so he could sneak out.” May was already rushing from the room, Matt just held up the phone, frowning as Foggy put it to his ear, “It's on repeat.”

“That little shit actually put a heart beat on repeat to trick you into thinking he was here?”

“And I fucking fell for it.” Matt winced and ran a hand through his hair, “He's not close, I would have caught on long before now if he was.”

“What am I doing here, buddy?”

“Just, take her with you if she insists, otherwise 'we' are going to for a walk around and seeing if he just needed air and quiet.”

Foggy sighed and threw his hands up, “Alright.”

May rushed back into the room, “He's not answering his-” She blinked and growled at the phone in Matt's hand, “He left his phone.”

Matt was still trying to get a bead on the kid, pretty difficult considering he didn't know the area nearly as well as home. “Foggy and I will look for him. Do you know where he might head to?”

“I'm going with-”

“We need someone here, someone that can alert the others he's gotten back and to help calm him down when he gets back.”

“Then you can stay, I'm going.”

“I'm not going to just wait around here, I'm going to help find him.”

“No offense, Matt, but I have a little bit of an advantage on you. Foggy and I both do, we can head out to look. Hold the base down and call us if he comes back.”

Matt glared at the snickering he could hear Foggy making from down the hall, “Alright-” so long as I'm alone, I can look faster alone anyway...

“Thank you, sorry to pull that card but right now, 4 eyes are better than 2.”

Foggy was shifting downstairs, “I'll call you when I get wind of us heading back.”

“Yeah, it is.”

Matt was nodding, turning his phone to vibrate as they left, waving after them. The moment the front door was shut he folded his cane up and dropped it in the hall closet with the spare they kept and headed back upstairs. The kid had gone out the window, now the question was where he went from there.

-

Matt was completely out of breath and out another fucking suit when he finally caught the kid in an alley. He tilted his head when he realized there was another person, one the kid threw against the wall before pulling, something, a mask off his face. Peter was pissed, his fist slamming into the wall hard enough, Matt winced at the cracking before he did something, something that caused mechanical whirling and the snap of something pulling tight, “Stay,” was growled to the man before he jumped up, climbing toward where Matt was hiding. “Three more options... three more.”

“Kid,” Matt growled, loud enough to make him jump, “What are you doing?”

The kid jumped back, panicking as he stood upright before he finally zeroed in on where Matt was, “I'm going to find him... Don't, don't try to stop me.”

“She's worried about-”

“Yeah, and you're probably ticked at me...”

“Hell of a stunt you pulled back there, actually threw me off, for all of five minutes. Least you're still in Queens...” Matt leaned back when Peter jumped the gap, amazed at just how easily the boy jumped it without needing to recover, or cushion the fall. “You know that's how you end up with knee replacements by 20, right?”

Peter snickered as he crouched by him, “Please, don't stop me.”

“What are you going to do? When you find him?”

Peter was shaking, Matt could tell he was trying to hold back tears, “What do you think I'm going to do?”

“Make a horrible mistake.”

Peter was shaking, twitching when Matt threw an arm around his shoulder, “It's not a mistake.”

“Believe me, it doesn't feel that way right now. But it will, when the anger and rage and pain finally burn themselves out. And then, you're left with... a mistake, and a life taken.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Peter mumbled, Matt nodded as he hugged him, “This guy had his, what does he do with it? Kill an innocent man, over like 70 bucks... He blew his second chance.”

Matt sighed as he heard sirens start up, “Time to go, come on.”

“I'm not going to stop,” Peter shifted back, setting his shoulders.

“We need to get away from here, the cops are coming.”

Peter nodded before he signaled toward a neighboring building, wrapping an arm around Matt's waist, “Hold tight.”

Matt's grip tightened in a moment of panic when the kid dropped off the side. He winced, feeling butterflies flutter in his stomach, like when he used his grapple, the huge difference was he wasn't the one in control of this one, and he sure didn't stand a chance in hell of surviving if Peter dropped him. “Wait,” Matt gulped as Peter landed on a roof, stepping away and trying to ease his stomach. “I'm not built for that.”

Peter was shifting, “Sorry, I'm still, figuring out all the physics on what I can do with passengers and stuff.”

“Count that out, least for me,” Matt waved a hand as he stopped feeling like his stomach was inside a running washing machine. “Hard to, get my barings when we keep swinging so far away from the buildings.”

Peter winced, “Sorry, didn't even think.”

It in no way helped that he'd been at least half a bottle of eel juice in before the call, but at least he was getting to the 'easy to focus' recovery point of being drunk, “Just, no more of that.”

“The other hangout is a block up the way-” Peter wave a hand toward it, making Matt relax when it wasn't followed by the mechanical whirl or the snap of fabric, “I'll go after him, see if I can catch him while you're catching your breath.”

“Peter, please, just, think.”

“I'm done thinking,” Peter clenched his fist before that mechanical whirl and thwip of fabric warned Matt before he swung away from the roof.

Matt tilted his head toward the direction he went and grumbled, that was a trek... He ended up with at least one knee jammed from a too long jump and bad tumble but he was able to make it before the kid could do anything more than pin the guy. “Just, think kid, please,” he raised his voice, hoping beyond hope that Peter would catch it and it wasn't torn away in the cross winds. “Don't do this,” he knew he'd fucked up, with a jammed up knee he'd snap it trying to get down from there quick enough. Matt tensed and lunged toward the edge when he caught the kid's angry voice and heart beating away. He fumbled with his pockets, his breath came in a hiccup when his fingers closed over his rosary. “Thank you,” he kissed it before aiming and throwing it as hard as he could, letting out a breath when it landed on the boy's arm. “Please, he wouldn't want you to ruin your life over his ending.”

Peter instantly snatched it up when it started to fall, head shooting over to look up where it dropped from before turning back to the petrified man. “You have no idea how lucky you are.” Peter grabbed the man up, throwing him into the air and into the main street before Matt tilted his head when the guy suddenly seemed to rubber band back, hanging from a light post. “You better thank the Devil, when you meet him, for saving your life.”

Matt took a relieved breath when Peter jumped and bounced up to him. “Thank you.”

“For what? Letting a killer live?”

Matt smirked at the rosary handed back to him, “That, wasn't to you. But thank you, for not killing someone.”

Peter was still shaking, “Yeah, well, don't do that too much right now, I might change my mind. What are you even doing with a rosary on you?”

Matt shrugged, “It's a fidget object I've always used. Can't get in trouble in church for fussing with your rosary.”

Peter snorted, “You were finding loopholes at 10?”

Matt shrugged, “Why not? You flipped the first one on my at what, 11? 12?”

Peter huffed out a laugh before he froze when the sound of sirens started closing in, “What the chance he'd get off on it?”

“Armed robbery even if he gets lucky and they give the minimum it's at least 25, the use of a gun adds another 5-10, no doubt possession of an unregistered firearm if not carrying concealed without a permit or even a gun license is another 5-10. Plus the carjacking, and- felony murder. That's 25 years minimum at least. Even if they offer a deal, he's just a petty thief, he wouldn't have the information they wanted for that big of a deal, especially if he's got a bad record. There's no way he's going to be doing anything at that age by the time he gets out.” Matt frowned, “He's done for, all they need is a 'guilty'.”

Peter tensed and leaned out, glaring as the officers tried to figure out how to get the guy down. Peter just grinned and chuckled when someone decided to try to cut him down. “Think I should tell them it'll dissolve in 2 hours?”

Matt smirked as he reached out, hugging Peter against his chest, “Nah, it's more fun to watch them squirm.”

“Is it?” Peter settled at his side, laying his head on his shoulder. “What's that look like?”

Matt smirked before grinned, “Um, ever see one of those caterpillars, the ones that make hanging cocoons? It looks like that.”

“Oh, like just before it hatches?”

Matt nodded, “Yeah, like, with all the limbs inside, shifting around but unable to get out.”

Peter blinked and shifted to look at him, “Matt, was that comparison from before or after you lost your sight?”

Matt shrugged, “It's the same thing, isn't it?”

Peter shook his head and chuckled against his shoulder, “Nooooo not even close. What I see and you see are totally different. I just see, kinda this leaf all folded up, that kinda twitches and shakes as if the wind was blowing it. Definitely no transparent cocoons, not that I've ever seen.”

“Hm, wow, I guess it has been a long time since I've thought of caterpillars then.”

Peter jerked back from his enjoyment of his trapped fly, “I just remembered. Um, are you the only one out looking for me?”

“Nope,” Matt sighed, “Everyone is. I wouldn't be surprised if Karen got involved. Foggy was with me when I got the call, I... didn't even think to call anyone else. She's going to be pissed at me...”

“Trouble in paradise?”

Matt sighed and dropped his head before shaking it, “Karen is, she's one of the ones that, I would love for it to work, but it just can't. We've moved on from that but, she's still a very good friend.” Matt grumbled as he shifted his jammed leg, rubbing it and trying to ease the tension and pain in it.

“You getting old?”

Matt snorted, “Remember what I said about your landing, otherwise you end up like me.” He winced when a pop sounded before sighing as most of the tension started easy even if the pain didn't. “Landed wrong, jammed it up. I'm not going to be running across rooftops for awhile.”

Peter stood up, “I got you, fam. Come on, let's head back. May is probably freaking out.”

Matt winced and shifted back, “No swinging.”

Peter grumbled, “Minimal swinging? Not even I can make some of those jumps, and swinging is easier on us both if I have to carry you.”

Matt grumbled as he got up, shifting his leg, “Alright, fine.” Matt could already feel his stomach revolting as he limped after Peter.

“Matt, thank you,” Peter whispered as he carried Matt over a large jump, setting him down to let him hopefully ease the tension remaining in his leg by walking between the gaps in the roofs. “I was just, not thinking.”

Matt smiled as he pulled his close, hugging him tight enough Peter chuckled and patted his shoulder, “You, get that from my side of the family. Anger runs pretty deep. I was hoping you'd take after Richard. He, always seemed to be a cool headed man,” it was all true, after hearing years of stories from Ben about him and his brother growing up.

“Guess it skipped dad, huh?”

Matt nodded, so many years at that point, used to that, “Yeah, must have.”

“Okay, looks like we're swinging. It's a clear shot from here. I can carry you during those jumps but it's a long way down before we get there.”

Matt nodded and huffed as he hugged his boy tight, blinking when the kid tucked his feet under his before lowing them on that odd, fabric sounding line. “What is that?”

“It's um, synthetic spider webbing... I uh, made it. To help if I can't reach a distance in a jump or need to restrain someone or catch myself if something goes wrong. I, uh, took a little inspiration when I saw your grapple. Seemed like a good idea to have a safety line.”

Matt huffed out a laugh, “Smart boy,” he would have ruffed Peter's hair, if his head wasn't covered up, “And the mask, to protect your identity?”

Peter nodded as his feet landed, shifting to let Matt go, “Yeah, can't risk people coming after the ones we love. I've seen what's happened to you guys when a not-client throws a fit.”

Matt nodded, “Yeah, it happens.”

“Is that why Foggy doesn't have a car?”

Matt laughed, “No, that would be because he doesn't need one. Plus no parking at his building, at least that use to be the reason. Now, I'm pretty sure it's because it's New York, no one drives in New York.”

Peter smirked as they walked on before he frowned when they got closer, “Um, anyone around?”

Matt tilted his head, listening, “In the houses. Want to swing ahead and let me back in? I'm pretty sure May locked the front door, and I didn't bring my spare keys ring. Wasn't expecting to go anywhere tonight.”

“Wait, you didn't check?”

Matt shrugged, “I heard the click. I took the window you did, let me get a wiff of which direction you headed in and helped me follow you easier starting from a source of just, Peter scent.”

“That's, totally not creepy at all...”

Matt snorted, “Yeah, Foggy tells me I need to work on that.”

“I agree with Foggy.”

“Well, you didn't give me much of a choice. May already pulled the 'you're blind' card tonight.”

Peter actually winced, “Ouch... Brutal. Too bad she doesn't know.”

“Oh we are not telling her about me. But you, you seriously need to tell her.”

“I don't want to put her at risk!”

“Peter, listen carefully, you will Always be putting her in danger. You are living with a civilian, and with what you can do, and already proving that you Cannot stand by without at least trying- you will continue to put her in danger. You need to establish some backup plans. A 'run' signal a 'stand down/stay out of it' signal. Something that means 'I need help'... you will need backup. I, saw what you did to that wall earlier. You are very fucking strong, but you're still human, Pete, just like I am. And, one of these days, someone is going to go after you, and they're going to find their way back to the people you're closest to, whether they realize it or not.”

Peter was shifting, worried, “Okay, I, I get it. But, I can't really tell her about me without outing you... can I? It's, entwined. You, helping me, and everything.”

Matt sighed, “We'll, figure that out when we come to it, for now, someone needs to get his ass back to his room. And be a good guy and let your uncle in, he locked himself out...”

Peter snorted as he nodded and swung off while Matt resolved to limping and grumbling his way to the front door to find Peter already changed and seeming worried. “Um, hi?”

“About time you got home. Let me call your aunt and figure out something actually reasonable to explain my leg. And this damn suit...”

Peter winced, brushing off the dust and grime from Matt's jacket, snickering at some ripped seems, “Um, fell down the stairs? Heard me sneaking back in and just ran and forgot the stair count?”

Matt blinked, “That might work. Alright, kid, make sure to play it up.”

“That, won't be a problem... um, can I ask, who all knows about you?”

Matt blinked, frowning, “Alive? A handful of heroes running around, none you've met thank God, Foggy, Karen, Claire... Fisk.”

“Fisk, like Wilson Fisk knows who you are?”

Matt nodded and laughed at Peter's question of if that worried him, “Who's going to believe him? A blind lawyer kicked the shit out of him, not once but twice, handed him over to police both times and thwarted his biggest operation involved the FBI? Yeah, it'd be Heaven to see how quickly they'd start circling... Blood in the water.”

Peter gulped, “Yeah, okay, I can see why they called you the Devil of Hell's Kitchen.”

Matt shook himself, “Sorry, a lot of history with Fisk. Just, figure out what you're going to do with tonight, alright, I'm calling May, letting everyone know you're back home and safe.”

Peter nodded as he reached out to hug him, “Yeah, okay.”

Matt grabbed his phone and sighed at the chipping corners, “Call May.” He was worried for a second until the ringing started.

“Matt, sorry for not calling, we haven't seen him yet.”

“He's here.”

“He's there?” The relief in her voice made Peter squeeze him tighter. “Oh thank god. We're heading back.”

“Okay, we'll see you soon.” Matt smiled when the call disconnected before hugging Peter harder and shuffling over to the couch, grumbling as he settled onto it, “Shit, the door, can you lock it back?”

“She won't remember it being locked.”

“Humor an old wounded blind man.”

Peter snorted, “Alright, old man,” before getting up to lock the door, “There, happy?”

“Almost,” he reached out, tugging Peter onto the cough next to him and hugging him, kissing his brow, “We're all going to miss him, Peter. The actions of another is not your fault. You could have done any number of things different and have that still happen.”

“It was my fault though. If we didn't have that stupid fight. If I hadn't have, run off, hidden away where no one could reach me. If I hadn't have let that, thief go just to spite that jerk at the register over 5 goddamn cents...”

Matt sighed, holding him tight, “It still could have happened.”

“It sure as hell woulda had a lot less statistical probability!”

“Pete, I am a Lawyer, not a math major... Easy on the big words. Plus I'm just now getting to the point I might be hung over. It's been a long night.”

Matt actually jerked awake, blinking and confused before he heard a familiar snort and snore, he sighed and reached out with his foot, “Foggy, roll over, you're snoring.” It took him a way too long to remember where he was as Foggy just snuffled and rolled over, effectively muffling what little sound he could produce on his side by the pillow under his head. “Peter?” He was half sprawled on the couch, blinked at the scratchy blanket thrown over him. He winced as he shuffled upright, reaching out and walking his hands over the couch, wincing when his knee told him just what it thought about working today. He smiled as he shuffled up the stairs, hearing two other soft breathing and sleeping pulses upstairs as he headed up to the bathroom. He grinned like a fool as he check to make sure Peter was sleeping restfully in bed before heading to the bathroom. Going back downstairs to sprawl back out on the couch once he was finished. Foggy must have made the decision to stay the rest of the night rather than wake him up. He was honestly thankful for that as he pulled his grumpy leg up onto the couch and getting comfortable.

-

Matt grumbled a the poke to his shoulder, shifting, “Five more minutes, Foggy. Don't have to be in class until 9...”

A soft giggle sounded at Foggy mumbling, “It's Saturday, no classes. Shut off your alarm.”

Matt finally blinked his eyes open and frowned, did Foggy bring someone to the dorm and he was too drunk to notice? “How much did we drink last night?”

“Enough to forget we haven't had class in like 10 years...” Foggy groaned as he sat up, “Why am I on the floor?”

Matt blinked toward May, oh boy it was going to be a 'good' day, “Um, May. Morning.”

Foggy seemed to be chugging along just as fast as Matt was, “Right, May, morning! Sorry, intended to wake up before now. Ugh, hate sleeping on the floor.”

Matt shuffled and whined when his leg had officially Had It with him. “May, do you have any pain meds?”

“Yeah, I'll get you some, Peter said you fell down the stairs when you heard him trying to sneak back in. Did you hit your head? He said you didn't but wouldn't let me wake you up.”

“No, no head injuries, I just, jammed my leg up really bad trying to catch myself. Um, is the banister okay? I, uh, tried to check for damages but I couldn't find any.”

“Just a few scuffs. Apparently court shoes leave black marks on everything. An eraser will take those off.”

Matt blinked and frowned, then realized his shoes were set under the coffee table in front of the couch, he didn't remember taking them off, “Right. How's Peter doing?”

May shifted, “We'll find out once he wakes up. Took everything I had to get him to actually go to bed.”

Matt smiled, “Bacon and eggs? Turkey bacon and eggs?”

May shrugged as she flipped something in a pan, “We, are watching our sodium intake, turkey is supposed to be a lot less salt based than pork bacon, supposedly. And Ben... well, he put his foot down on taking away his bacon and eggs.”

Matt smiled, “Yeah, can't keep up working in the morning without proteins and carbs. Not in his line of work.”

May sighed, Matt frowned at the tremble in her hands, “Yeah.”

“Do you want me to take over?”

May shook her head, “You don't cook here very often, I don't want to risk you getting cut because a knife got put in the wrong drawer or a skillet is out of place. Just, rest your knee, Matt, I've got the cooking covered.”

Matt made grabby hands when Foggy walked passed, “I smell coffee, be a buddy and share.”

“Get your own, this is mine.”

“I've been told to rest my knee... Do you really want to go against Aunt May?”

Foggy winced, “You're right, coffee, coming right up.”

“Thanks buddy. You're the best.” Matt was already reaching out, fingers tapping the mug held out to them randomly, before he took it, “May makes the best coffee.”

“Mhm,” Foggy hummed as he got back to his own.

Matt frowned, turning his head when the footsteps on the upper floor stopped on the stairs, “Hey, Pete, you up yet? May's making bacon and eggs.” His smile started to fall when Peter shifted, before realizing the trepidation in the teen's steps weren't focused on May's location, but his. He blinked and tilted his head, catching the sound of papers being clutched by worried hands. He finally sighed and took a deep breath, “You know.”

Peter nodded his head, “Uncle Ben, left a note. I, didn't even notice it. Not until I woke up.”

“I'm sorry I never told you. I, I wanted to let them decide when you should know. I didn't want to tarnish your memory of your family or let a stranger take you away from them with the law. I just, wanted to know you... that you were okay.”

Peter sniffed and rubbed his eyes, “Yeah, I know. He, explained a lot of things. Even how you found out about me.”

“I just, hope you can forgive me for keeping it from you. I just, didn't want to take 'dad' and, drag those memories through the mud or lesson the meaningfulness of him in your life. Thanks to him, your mother wasn't alone during one of the hardest times in life, and you had parents that loved you. Family that still loves you...”

“You didn't know about me until after, they died.”

Matt nodded, “Yes, I got the letter from your mom the morning after. Before that, I didn't have a clue.”

“Not even with-”

Matt shook his head, “We, dated for a few months, and during that time she'd decided to shift from law to the enforcement side, I think. It's been, a long time. I remember her mentioning being interested in the CIA or they approached her... Didn't know they did headhunting that early on in learning. She ended up transferring over to another school, having to relocate and we decided to part ways. It wasn't in a time when long distance relationships were very common, and you know how difficult it is to get me out of the Kitchen.”

“And you didn't have a clue?”

Matt shook his head, “No, I would have if she'd stayed a bit longer, but, I couldn't tell. It, must have been right before the relocation.”

“How would you tell?”

Matt sighed, “Heart beat. Later on, hormones, it's really tricky to tell at the start of pregnancy. It's, similar to- other things, usually takes about 4 weeks to really tell. By then, some hormones have shifted enough to change their scent.”

“What would have happened if you did know?”

Matt chuckled, “Well, considering that time in life. A hell of a lifestyle change. Would have found a two bedroom, off campus instead of rooming with Foggy. At least, that would have been the smart thing, pool resources, even though I was mostly living off a trust from my dad at the time, I would have done everything I could to make sure you were taken care of. But, I do believe Mary was right on that one. It was better for you, not knowing, and me, not knowing. I would have proposed... Mary Hated the idea of marriage. At least then. I guess she found someone worth changing her mind for.”

Peter flinched as Matt settled his feet on the floor, “Ever propose?”

Matt shook his head, “Been proposed to a few times,” he tilted his head toward Foggy.

“Hey, I was drunk, there were garbage plates involved, I was not in any way legally able to enter a civil union or express interest in one at the time.”

Peter sniffled and wiped his nose, “Ever have someone you wanted to propose to?”

Matt sighed and shook his head, “I won't lie, I thought I had a 'the one'... but she was-”

“Completely batshit!” Foggy held up his hands, “I'm sorry May, but the woman literally had him breaking and entering... Like, seriously Murdock, your teenage rebellion phase had to hit right before Finals and with a woman that would gladly throw you to the wolves in a heartbeat, had in fact done just that. More than once.”

“She was, manipulative, self centered, she was, a psychopath. I, didn't see it. I just, thought she was damaged goods, like me. Turned out the whole fucking relationship was some plan of, someone we both knew and trusted, trying to get me back on his side. No matter how much I tried with her, there just, wasn't enough goodness there to bring her back from the brink.”

“You nearly got yourself killed trying...”

“Everyone deserves a chance to do the right thing. Everyone. It's not our place to choose who lives and dies. Not even the worse of us.”

“There's a point you just have to throw in the towel, Matt! And that one was years overdue.”

Matt licked his lips and leaned toward Peter, “She, gave me the man that killed my father. On a silver platter.” Peter's spine straightened, stepping forward to sit on the couch beside him. “Bound and gagged, whispering all the things I'd heard in my head, every thing I wanted to do to the guy that took the only person I had in the world from me. I beat him so bad, I don't think he had any front teeth left. My knuckles still have scars from where they dug in while he was spitting blood and profanities. It finally got to the point I could feel the anger burning itself out, the devil went quiet, for the first time in... so long. And, after I'd had my penance, she kept pushing for more. The Devil in my soul went quiet, but she was there, feeding it, perched at my shoulder like a tempter, trying to get me to kill him. That's when I knew, I just couldn't do it. It's not my place to choose who lives and dies. That's why I couldn't let you- I had to at least try. To pull you back from that brink.”

Peter tackled him in a hug, “It's you I get it from, isn't it?”

“Yeah, it's me. Your great grandmother use to say 'Beware the Murdock boys, they've got the Devil in them' and she was right.”

Peter frowned when he saw May's confusion, “Um, Matt, Aunt May has a very confused look on her face. Um, can I tell her?”

“It's your choice, Peter.”

Peter held him tighter before shifting back, “May, um, we need to talk. Matt has been helping me-”

“I've been helping him learn control, and how to protect himself.”

Peter took a relieved sigh, “When I got sick a few months back, it, caused some changes. Matt's been helping me learn how to control them and use them to help people.”

“I taught you exercises to learn control and how do defend yourself since you tend to visit at the drop of a hat and I wanted to make sure you'd be safe if it got late. You chose to use them to help people... I didn't even know about that until yesterday.”

Peter huffed out a heavy sigh, “Are you telling me you wouldn't do the same?”

Matt smirked, “I plead the 5th.”

Foggy burst out laughing, “That means he would.”

Matt glared, “Objection...”

“Stating a fact,” Foggy was grinning while Matt sighed and shook his head, “Would you like to review the evidence?”

“Please, do build the entire case against me for the next DA...”

“I'm just gonna excuse myself from the trial on the count that Matt is an asshole...”

Peter chuckled, “Have either of you been checked for ADHD? Just, asking for a friend.”

Foggy cracked up, “Yep, but then, big family. It was hard to keep everyone's attention.”

“They didn't give a rat's ass, I did my reading, and finished my work, they could care less about my attention span when I was withdrawn and dealing with sensory overload most of the time.”

“Matt has way too much focus in court to have ADHD.”

“Okay,” Peter's shift and slouch made Matt worry.

“Why'd you ask, for real?”

He got a shrug, “I was just wondering, actually. The jumps in conversation and stuff between you and my getting distracted in school... Was wondering if I needed tested again.”

Matt sighed, “Peter, you're easily distracted because you're bored. You and I and May and Foggy can all see when it's a full on shift in gears and a 'I'm bored' shift in gears. We, were discussing letting them push you up, but, we honestly didn't want to pull you from your class. We wanted you to have your friends, and your free time after school since it was pretty easy for you. I brought up possibly getting you into some summer courses at the university but I believe they have a minimal requirement, even though I'm pretty sure you can blow through the SAT in a heartbeat if you wanted.”

“I work during the summer...”

“That's the other reason, when I learned about that I voted for you staying with your classmates. Give you a few more years before the real rat race started.” Matt reached out to pat his shoulder, “Next year, if you want to move, it'd be more difficult to stay with your friends during the day, even if you'd still see them after and before. Might make everything a little much. The feeling of isolation, being with a bunch of new people.”

“Yeah...”

Matt smiled as he felt Peter cling, “Peter, find something challenging, find something that engages your mind, and just... make sure you keep up in your school work and they won't find any reason to complain about it so long as you're not disrupting.”

Peter grinned, nodding, “Yeah, that's true.”

“Now, why don't you go and start cleaning up your stuff from last night. I'll, have a talk with May, explain some things she might have questions about.”

Peter nodded, “Yeah, right, I've still got homework,” he groaned, “And, now, we've got the Wake and stuff.”

“Yeah, that's what we're going to be taking care of.” Matt patted his arm as he shifted away, “Make sure to clean your things,” he patted his wrists, “They were sounding, off by the end of the night.”

“Oh, really? Um, thanks, I'll get on that.”

“I'd recommend some sort of sound dampener too, they're really loud when they trigger.”

“Only to someone that has your hearing,” Peter called while Matt sighed.

Matt sat up, grumbling and rubbing at his leg, “Foggy, I hope that coffee kicked in, cause I might need legal counsel here.”

“She looks... pissed.”

“Rightfully so, just thing about when you found out.”

“Yeah, but this is 'mamma bear' pissed. Just, be careful of claws, buddy.”

Matt nodded as he stumbled up and settled at the table, “You have questions. I am going to say, I did not know he was going out at night until last night. The kid's smart enough to stay out of the Kitchen so we never crossed paths.”

Matt flinched at the spatula dropped onto something porcelain, “So, who am I talking to?”

“Peter's father, his mentor to his new abilities... and Daredevil.”

May's head tilted at him, making him drop his head, “What the fuck!”


End file.
